Open Your Eyes
by Jade LaBeouf
Summary: Kaiba ends up in a coma after a bad accident, and now the only way he can return to normal is by helping the one who tried to save him: Jounouchi. -No pairings-
1. Second Chance

I have been working on this story for some time, and have finally decided to post it. And as my first reviewer so KINDLY pointed out (burn in hell, bitch) the currency in Japan is indeed yen, so I will correct that as soon as possible. Until then, just ignore it, please! And so what if Kaiba wants to walk inside of taking the limo? He's Seto Kaiba, dammit! He can do what he wants!

Chapter One: Second Chance

Kaiba looked down in horror at what he was seeing…his own body, bloody and battered, lying on a hospital bed, surrounded by doctors and nurses trying to revive it.

Was he dead? Was he a ghost? Why was he seeing such a horrible sight? It had to be a dream. But then Kaiba remembered what had happened earlier today, before this so-called dream…

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Seto Kaiba was headed home from a very important meeting at Kaiba Corp. Usually he would take the limo home, but for some reason felt like walking instead. Besides, he told himself, I need the exercise.

It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun was beginning to set, giving off a warm orange glow. It was quiet in the city, which seemed rather unusual, but ideal to Kaiba. He preferred the quiet.

He passed a park and noticed some children playing with the playground equipment. He started to think about Mokuba, and what he was probably doing right now. Mokuba wasn't the kind of kid who would play at a park; he was more mature than that, maybe too mature for his age.

I'll have to do something with him this weekend, Kaiba thought to himself.

"Whaddaya mean, I'm two dollars short! That can't be right!"

Kaiba's attention turned to a grocery store he was passing by. As the doors opened, he heard a familiar voice carry outside. Looking through the automatic glass doors, he saw none other than Jounouchi Katsuya, the annoying best friend of Kaiba's rival, Yugi Mouto. Joey seemed to be arguing with the cashier. Kaiba was in no particular hurry to get home, and found this situation to be quite amusing, so he went inside to see how it would turn out.

No one noticed Kaiba come in, so he went over to a display of cereal that was on sale so no one would see him and looked on at the argument.

"I'm sorry, sir, but your total is seven fifty-eight, and you are two dollars and fifty-eight cents short," the cashier was saying.

"All I have is a five, isn't that enough?" Joey asked angrily.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you must pay the exact amount."

"That much for just _this!_" Joey pointed to the items he was buying: a loaf of bread, a jug of milk, and a bag of chips.

"Perhaps you should leave out the chips?" the cashier suggested.

Joey was enraged. "I can't leave anything out! I gotta eat, ya know!" He began to dig in his pocket for some extra change. "I might have a quarter or something, hang on…"

Kaiba watched Joey digging around in his jacket pockets for money. Then, for some strange reason, he stepped up to the cashier and pulled out his wallet. "I'll pay for it," he said. "How much was it? Seven-something?"

Joey stared at him with a mix of shock and gratitude on his face. The cashier gave Joey back his five and handed him his bag. Kaiba went out the door.

"Hey Kaiba! Wait a sec!" Joey hurried after him until he was walking right next to him. "That was a little out of character for you, but thanks for what you did back there. I really appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it, Katsuya," said Kaiba sternly. "I just couldn't bear to watch you suffer like an idiot at the hands of a cashier. It was pathetic to watch."

Joey frowned and slowed down a bit, then started to catch up to him again. "Sure… it's not like you to help someone besides yourself. But now I feel like I owe you or something. Is there anything I can do to pay you back?"

"You can start by leaving me alone."

"I'm serious! When someone helps me out of a jam, I have to repay them. In this case, literally. And let's face it—you're not the type to do something nice unless it's for your benefit. Do you want me to give you back the money?"

_Just great,_ Kaiba thought. _Now I've picked up a stray. I should have left him where I_ _found him and not bothered to help._ Wait…why _did_ he help him anyway? _That's not like me…_

"Katsuya…" Kaiba's thoughts jumped back to what Joey was purchasing and how he didn't have enough to buy it. "You don't have to pay me back."

"Well, I know I'm not rich or anything, or get a big, fat allowance like you, but still…"

"Keep your money. I don't want it."

Joey was a little relieved, but he wasn't going to give up so easily. "Want me to wash your limo or something?"

Kaiba stopped walking, a little annoyed. He wasn't going to give up, was he? "Listen, Katsuya. Seven bucks is nothing—"

"Seven fifty-eight," Joey corrected.

"—compared to what I make everyday at my company," continued Kaiba, ignoring the interruption. "You don't have to pay me back, in any way. This was a one time only thing, so don't expect kindness of any sort in the future." He started walking again.

"Don't worry, I don't." Joey was still following him, a little more behind him though. "It's just that…money is a big issue with me. I don't have a lot, only enough to get by. Whenever someone helps me money-wise, I just…feel like I have to show them how much it means to me and pay them back, somehow."

Suddenly, without warning, Kaiba's briefcase fell out of hands and papers went flying around the sidewalk. Kaiba got down and started to pick them up. Joey helped him.

What was wrong with him? Why was he feeling…_pity_ for Katsuya? Normally, Kaiba wouldn't feel anything at all for this mutt, but for some reason… what the hell was it?

Kaiba went onto the street to get some papers that flew across the road. Seto Kaiba cares for no one, he told himself. No stupid sob story like that should have any effect on him. Had he gone soft? _Why did I help him? _Why…

"KAIBA, WATCH OUT!"

Kaiba looked up at Joey, who was running towards him. He turned around and stared into a pair of headlights heading straight for him, frozen like a deer. Something shoved him in the side violently just as something else slammed hard into his chest at the same time. His head smashed into something, a sharp pain seared through his body, his vision became blurred and red, a piercing screech, the sound of shattering glass and screams—his own screams?—filled the air, and then black…complete darkness…

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Kaiba stared in horror at the sight before him…his lifeless body, covered in blood…why wasn't it moving?

"Hey! What's going on!" Kaiba reached for one of the doctor's shoulders. "Why am I—" He stopped when his hand went right through the doctor. "What the—?" He looked back at the body that looked like his own. Then he realized—it _was_ him.

"This isn't a dream…I'm really dead…oh my god…" he felt like he was going to be sick. How could a ghost be sick? He didn't care… What happened to Joey? What would Mokuba do if he found out…?

"No, Seto Kaiba, you are not dead…yet."

Kaiba looked away from his dead body and searched for the source of the voice. His eyes fell upon a young woman standing beside him. She was a strange looking person, wearing a blue and white kimono and holding a tall, golden staff with golden rings dangling from it. She was really out of place. How come no one else noticed her? Was she dead too?

The girl looked at him. "Your body still has life in it; it's just suffering from the impact of the crash and is in a state of shock. But your subconscious is still working."

"The crash…subconscious…?"

"I know this may all sound strange and confusing to you. But it's really quite simple—"

"Wait!" Kaiba shouted suddenly. "Who are you? Can't anyone else see you? What the hell happened!"

The girl looked surprised for a moment, and then lightly tapped herself on the head with her staff. "Oops, I should start from the beginning…My name is Yume. I am the spirit guide of the dead. I guide all souls to the afterlife when they die."

"Die...? So I _am_ dead!" Kaiba said accusingly.

"Not quite! Let me explain!" said Yume, waving her hands quickly. "Right now, your body is in a state of shock, or a coma, if you will. The car crash would have killed you, but for some reason, your soul refuses to give in to death. You have unfinished business, maybe?"

Kaiba looked at his body, his face just as pale as it was. "Wh-what car crash?"

"You don't remember? When you went out on the road, a car came speeding towards you. You didn't see it in time, and you were hit. An ambulance was called, and the two of you were rushed here, to the hospital. You should be dead right now, Seto."

Kaiba didn't say anything. He was still trying to make sense of all this.

"What you are now is not a ghost _exactly_, just a soul, or the subconscious of your brain. Since you, the subconscious, are out of the brain of your body, it can't function. Therefore, it is useless and remains in a coma."

"Then can't you just put me back in my body?" asked Kaiba. Normally, this would all seem absurd to him, but he hadn't been himself lately. He had always thought that when he died, that was it. No ghost, no heaven, nothing. But this was just crazy…

"I'm sorry, but it's not that easy," said Yume, pulling out a scroll and unrolling it. "According to our list, you were due in the afterlife today."

"List?" Kaiba couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was all too much. "This has to be a dream…there's no other explanation. This is all just a bunch of nonsense!"

WHACK! Yume brought the top of her staff down on his head. He rubbed it painfully.

"No, Seto, this is real," said Yume, looking at him hard. "And until you believe that and come with me to the afterlife, your body will remain in a coma in which you will never wake up and you will forever be a lost soul wandering the earth."

Kaiba looked at his body again, which was being cleaned up by the nurses and moved into another room. He watched them take it away then said, more to himself, "I'm not dreaming…it's really over…my life is…over…"

"Let go of this world, Seto, and the pain will disappear."

"Who are you to tell me what to do! You don't even know me!" he yelled at her in mixed anguish.

"I'm only trying to help you," she said calmly. "Now come with me. Your time has come to an end."

"I won't go." Kaiba said defiantly.

"But you must."

"I don't have to listen to the likes of you!" he shouted.

Yume sighed. She knew he was going to continue to resist. "I know it's hard to accept, but Seto—you're dead. And if you don't come with me now, someone else will come for you, someone less likely to tolerate your resistance. Even if you do remain in this world, what good would it do? You'll only be a ghost, with no purpose but to wander the earth for all eternity!"

Kaiba turned to face her, an incredulous look across his face. "But I can't leave! There's so much I have left to do! I can't die now! What about Mokuba?"

Yume looked surprised. She hadn't expected this. Then she smiled. "It's not your time to die, huh? That's what they all say, but none of them really have much to live for…"

"But _I_ do! I can't leave Mokuba, not now! I won't go! Not now! Please, Yume!" Kaiba actually got down on his knees and grabbed the bottom of her kimono. His voice shook. "Isn't there something I can do? I'm begging you! I can't leave him…please…he needs me…"

Yume looked at him, not knowing what to do. Then she smiled gently. "I understand. I think I know a way I can help you, Seto. Come with me." She started to lead the way down the hall of the hospital.

"Where are you taking me? To the afterlife?" asked Kaiba uncertainly.

"No. We are going to see Jounouchi Katsuya."

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, despite my ranting at the beginning. Please be kind in your reviews, it was hard enough for me to get the courage to post this story...:(


	2. Through the Eyes of One I Know

I'm glad so many people like this story so far! I didn't think it would be so loved sniffle Thank you all! So here's the second chapter. I'll try to update at least once a week because school is starting up again soon. So enjoy the story!

By the way, I don't know if anyone's going to notice, but the title of the story and some of the chapters are from the song "Open Your Eyes" by AlterBridge. The song inspired me to write a fic about Joey and Kaiba. Also, I like to put song lyrics in the story, so if that bothers you, I'm sorry. The song in this chapter is "Iris" by the goo goo dolls.

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Chapter Two: Through the Eyes of One I Know

Kaiba wasn't quite sure what to expect. Yume was taking him to see Joey, but she didn't exactly say where they would find him or what he was doing. Joey was there when the car hit Kaiba, but had he been hit too? Was he dead, like him, or just seriously injured?

Was he about to die?

Yume stopped in front of a door labeled room 306. The name plate on the top read "Jounouchi Katsuya."

"In here." Yume pointed to the door and walked towards it. Kaiba let out a small gasp of surprise as she walked right through the closed door! He stood there for a moment, taking in what he had just seen, when suddenly Yume's face appeared through the middle of the door. "What are you waiting for? Come on."

"You mean...I can do that, too?"

"Well, you _are_ only a soul." Her face disappeared again.

Kaiba took a breath and sighed. _This is crazy,_ he thought to himself, and with another deep breath, he plunged through the door.

He felt nothing. It was as if there was no door there in the first place. Kaiba appeared behind Yume, who was looking at the bed near the window. Kaiba looked over and saw Joey lying on it, a tube attached to his arm pumping fluid. Bandages were wrapped around his chest and head. He appeared to be sleeping.

"He's still alive," said Kaiba more to himself. He was surprised to hear a slight hint of relief in his voice.

"Yes, he just barely made it," said Yume, leaning on her staff. "He only broke a few ribs. He was hit head first, up to just below the chest, trying to push you out of the way. He was trying to save you."

Shock came over Kaiba. _He was trying...to save me? Me, of all people? But why—_

He didn't have time to linger on this thought, because suddenly the door burst open and Yugi Mouto came rushing in, followed by Hiroto Honda, Anzu Misaki, Ryou Bakura, and Shizuka Katsuya. They all ran right through Kaiba, but he didn't feel a thing.

"Joey! You okay?" asked Yugi worriedly as they all reached his bedside.

Joey's eyes opened and he smiled at them. "Yugi...everyone...you're here."

"Oh, big brother! We were so worried!" cried Shizuka, taking hold of Joey's hand. "I thought you were...but you're okay! Thank goodness you're alright!"

"When we heard about the crash, we came as fast as we could, man," said Honda.

"Feeling better?" asked Anzu.

"Yeah, I feel like a million bucks!" joked Joey, trying to sit up. He let out a wheeze of pain and Shizuka pulled his arm gently and alarmingly.

"Try not to move too much!" she warned. "Your ribs are still healing."

"Nah, I'm fine," he assured her. He turned to Yugi. "Any news about Kaiba? How is he doing?"

"I don't know," said Yugi. "But I hear they called the Kaiba mansion, so I'll bet Mokuba's on his way here. As for Kaiba himself...well, I'm not so sure."

"Will you find out if he's alright for me? I'd really like to know," said Joey.

"Sure thing." Yugi went out the door to take care of his request, once again passing through Kaiba. Kaiba looked at Yume, but she showed no signs of leaving yet.

"What happened out there, Joey?" asked Ryou. "You were with Kaiba when it happened, right?"

"Yeah, it was sort of an accidental meeting," said Joey. "He helped me out and we were walking home and—"

"Whoa, wait! He _helped_ you? Kaiba did?" said Honda with surprise.

"Yeah, he helped me pay for some groceries," answered Joey. "Actually, he paid for all of them."

"How kind of him!" said Anzu as Shizuka nodded in agreement. "I guess even Kaiba can lend a helping hand sometimes, however rare it is."

"I just don't believe it..." muttered Honda, scratching his head. "Kaiba being helpful...and to you, of all people..."

"I dunno, maybe he's not so bad," said Joey quietly.

Kaiba looked downcast. After all the horrible things he had said and done to Katsuya, one good deed and Joey was praising him. He was showing him compassion, even though he was no longer 'alive.' Of course, Joey or the others weren't aware of that—yet.

Yugi returned to the room shortly with a look of sadness on his face. "I just spoke to the doctor treating Kaiba," he said.

"Is he okay?" asked Ryou.

"Well, sort of. He's alive, anyway, but...he's in a coma."

They all gasped. "A coma?" repeated Anzu.

"Yeah, the car hit him pretty hard," said Yugi. "Broken bones, severe blood loss. The doctor says his brain activity is low, and there's no way of telling when he'll come out of it...or if he'll ever come out of it at all."

"How awful," said Shizuka, hugging her brother's hand.

"And Mokuba?" asked Honda.

"He just arrived," said Yugi. "He was too distracted to hear what the doctor had to say. He just ran straight to Kaiba's room, worried and upset."

"Poor Mokuba!" said Anzu, clasping her hands together, her eyes shining with tears.

They were all silent for a moment. Kaiba clenched his fist, which began to shake uncontrollably. Oh, Mokuba...poor little Mokuba...what would he do? He didn't want him to see him like this. _It's not fair! _He thought angrily. _Why should my little brother have to suffer like this!_

"It's all my fault."

Everyone, including Kaiba, turned to look at Joey. He was looking down at his hands on his lap. His hair hung gently over his sad, downcast eyes.

"I was there. I saw the car coming. I could have reached him in time, if only I was a little faster. Maybe he wouldn't have been hit, and I would be in his place."

"Don't say that," Shizuka began.

"It's true." Joey clenched his hands into fists. "I've never been able to help anybody. Never! I'm useless! I should be in that coma, not Kaiba!"

"That's not true, Joey." Yugi had become Yami Yugi, the ancient Pharaoh that lived in the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. His deep voice caused Joey to look up at him as he approached. "You are not useless. You've helped me plenty of times during duels, and when I needed you, you were always there to support me. Everyone in this room has been affected by your kindness."

"You helped me get back on the right track when I was still a jerk!" said Honda.

"You taught me not to be ashamed of my dreams of being a dancer," said Anzu.

"And you taught me the power of true friendship," said Ryou.

"Because of you, big brother, I can see your shining face everyday," smiled Shizuka.

"You see, Joey?" said Yami. "With all of these wonderful deeds you've done for us, how can you sit there and say you've done nothing? Even if not everything works out, at least you know you've tried. And you always do your best, no matter what!"

Joey looked up at them all, his eyes beginning to water. "Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it."

"No, Joey— thank _you_."

"Aww, don't cwy wittle Joey! It's awight!" joked Honda, putting his arm around Joey and wiping away a fake tear.

"You dork!" Joey pushed him off, laughing. "I just got somethin' in my eye, that's all..."

"Oh, like we haven't heard that one before!"

Kaiba looked at the scene in silence. Here was an example of friendship, something he had been missing out on since his childhood. What was so great about it? What was it about this friendship-thing that made them cry and help each other out like that? It was all a mystery to Kaiba, one that he was beginning to fear he would never solve...

"Would you like to see Mokuba?" Kaiba almost jumped at the sudden sound of Yume's voice beside him. She didn't wait for an answer and was already disappearing through the door. Kaiba followed.

They came back to the room where Seto's body had been before. Yume stepped aside, gesturing for Kaiba to go first. He slowly approached the door and peered through the window. He could see Mokuba kneeling over the bed where his brother's body was lying motionless. Mokuba's mouth was moving and tears were streaming down his face. Kaiba walked through the door to hear what he was saying.

"—and we can't begin work on Kaiba Land without you, Seto," Mokuba said, wiping away a tear. Kaiba felt his heart rise in his throat. "You can't leave me, Seto, you just can't go. Kaiba Corp. needs you...I need you..."

"Mokuba..." Kaiba reached out to touch Mokuba on the shoulder, but realized he couldn't do a thing to comfort him when his hand went right through him.

_And I'd give up forever to touch you_

'_Cause I know that you feel me somehow_

_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be_

_I just don't want to go home right now_

"Please don't leave me, big brother!" Mokuba sobbed onto the unconscious Seto's arm. "You said we would always be there for each other, that you would always look after me!"

"I'm here, Mokuba! I'm here!" cried Kaiba, though in vain.

'_Cause all I can taste is this moment_

_And all I can breathe is your life_

_When sooner or later it's over_

_I just don't want to miss you tonight_

"I can't imagine what would happen...if you...if you..." but poor Mokuba burst into tears, unable to finish.

Kaiba's heart ached. He couldn't stand to watch his little brother suffer like this. It was cruel. _I'm sorry Mokuba,_ he thought. _If only I had been more careful, then I could have come home to you tonight and told you how much I care...I'm so sorry..._

He felt his eyes and nose begin to burn as the tears slowly surfaced. And he cried. He cried like he had never cried before. Falling down on one knee, he put a hand on his forehead and wept. Never before had he felt so much anguish, so much sadness. And so, side by side, though one could not see the other, they cried for each other.

_And I don't want the world to see me,_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

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A/N: This chapter makes me sad...just imagining it...anyway, please review if you like it so far._  
_


	3. When the Day is Done

Just so you know, this is not a crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho, but I got the idea of the spirit guide Yume from it. It's not stealing, just borrowing . So anyway, perhaps this chapter will be slightly more cheerful.

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Chapter Three: When the Day is done

When Kaiba was finally able to stop his tears, he stood up to regain his composure. Mokuba had fallen asleep next to the bed, his face tear-stained. Despite his sadness, Kaiba couldn't help but smile as he watched him sleep.

_I wish I hadn't left you,_ he thought to himself. He looked around for Yume, but couldn't see her anywhere in the room. Alarmed, he went to the door and rushed through it. Yume was there in the empty hall, waiting for him.

"The hospital will be closing for the night," she said. "A nurse will find Mokuba when she comes checking and will send him home safely." She looked at Kaiba. "How are you feeling?" she asked gently.

"I've been better," he admitted.

"I'm sorry." Yume straightened up from her position and faced him with a serious look on her face. "According to the rules of the Afterlife, when a soul dies it must be taken care of before twenty-four hours have passed. I know you have a long life you wish to live and I want to help you, but the rules have restrictions on this sort of thing.

"However—" she continued before Kaiba could interrupt. "I may be able to bend the rules just a little bit. But this has to be our little secret, promise?" She winked, her finger placed over her lips.

"Tell me what I have to do," he said.

"Well, this won't be easy," Yume shook her head. "In order to gain life, you must give life in return. To put it simply, you must save someone's life."

"That's it? I just have to save someone?" said Kaiba. "How difficult can that be?" then a thought struck him. "But how can I save someone if I'm a ghost? I can't touch anything."

"There are other ways," she answered. "But that's not the worst part. You see, even if I let you do this task so you may live, I still have to bring a soul with me before I can return. Someone has to die, Seto."

Kaiba's eyes grew wide with shock. "I have to kill someone, too!"

"No, no, that's not what I meant," said Yume, shaking her head vigorously. "We have a certain order to maintain. Your soul was scheduled to die toady, but if it doesn't show up, everything falls out of order. It's sort of like a school play. If one actor gets sick and doesn't show up, the play is ruined. If I don't bring back a soul with me, we could have some problems with the dead."

Kaiba didn't want to think about what she was saying, but he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Yume went back to the Afterlife without him. He suddenly had a mental picture of zombies roaming the earth, attacking defenseless citizens. Shaking it out of his mind, he turned his attention back to her.

"So what are you going to do? Find someone to kill before the night is over?"

"Oh, no, it doesn't work that way. I cannot take a life; it has a time when it must end. I'm not sure what to do. But don't worry about it. I'll figure out something. In the meantime, you need to work on getting your own life back."

"Are you sure this is okay?" asked Kaiba. "I mean, you're not going to lose your job or anything if I don't go back with you—are you?"

"Of course not! There are only three guides, and they can't afford to lose one in a crisis like this!"

"Crisis?" Kaiba began to feel uncomfortable with this. "But what if—" He was cut short when Yume's finger came up again and pressed his lips closed to silence him.

"Although you've done things in your life that were less than honorable, I believe you have a good heart. I want to help you, Seto...even if it means enduring a few angry words from my boss!" She smiled. "So you just do what you gotta do to live your life again...and live it right."

Kaiba's surprised expression faded. "Thank you, Yume."

"Don't mention it! Besides, how can I say 'no' to a cute guy like you?" Kaiba felt himself blush. She turned to leave but then stopped. "Oops! I almost forgot the most important part!" She turned on her heel to face him again. "There's one rule you must remember in order for this to work."

"What's that?"

"The life you will save must be the one who almost saved yours. You should follow him; keep an eye on him so you may protect him until the moment you can return the favor. That is all you have to do."

"But wait! Who am I—" but Kaiba didn't have to ask. He had already figured out the obvious answer. _Katsuya..._

Yume smiled. "I know you can do it." Then she walked through the window at the end of the hall and was gone.

Kaiba sighed. This was all too weird, even for him. He looked through the window of his room at the sleeping Mokuba once more then began to walk away as the nurse came down the hall to check the rooms. Many thoughts plagued him about everything that was going on. It was all quite confusing.

_How could something like this even happen?_ He wondered to himself. _Even with all the weird things that seem to happen around Yugi and his dumb friends, this one takes the cake. I never thought I'd be forced to protect Katsuya as a ghost just so I could live again._

He came to Joey's room and peered through the window. Joey was already asleep, facing the window. Kaiba walked through the door and sat down on a chair opposite the bed. How he could sit in a chair like a solid figure yet be able to walk through walls was a mystery to him, but he didn't ponder this for long. He was quite tired after today's events.

_Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and this will all be just a dream,_ he said to himself, but was not at all convinced. His mind on other things, he closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep, comfortable sleep.

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The next morning, however, Kaiba found himself still in the chair in Joey's hospital room.

_It was just wishful thinking,_ he said sadly. He looked at the open window and realized that it was late morning. Joey was awake and talking to the doctor. Yugi and Shizuka were there with him, listening intently to what the doctor was saying.

"There was no real severe damage, but you will have to take it easy for awhile," he said. "Your ribs are still healing, but other than that, you're alright. You may check out whenever you're ready."

"Thank you doctor," said Shizuka, bowing.

"Hey doc!" Joey called to the doctor as he was leaving the room. "Has Seto Kaiba's condition improved?"

The doctor shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid there's been no change in his condition. He's still unconscious."

"Oh... thanks." Joey waited for him to leave before getting up.

"Take it easy, Jou, you heard what the doctor said," Shizuka immediately began to help him up.

"Yeah, I heard him," said Joey, standing up. "But I'm fine. It's not like I'm gonna go play a dangerous sport or anything."

"I guess that means you won't be able to duel for awhile," said Yugi.

"What! Not be able to duel!"

"Well, not with a duel disk anyway."

"Oh, right. Well, those things are getting overrated anyway..."

Kaiba stiffened. Overrated? A Kaiba Corp. product overrated? Well, Kaiba knew that he needed to get some more new products out in the market. But with him being dead and all, that was going to be very difficult.

"We'll walk you home, okay?" Yugi offered.

"Thanks."

Kaiba stood up; it was his cue to follow. He felt a little odd. Even though no one could see him, it was still strange to be walking down the hall with some of the people he hated most in the world. _I guess I have no choice,_ he thought.

After checking out, Jounouchi entertained Yugi and Shizuka with a funny story about something that happened the day of the accident, before he went to the grocery store. Kaiba followed along, not really listening. He wondered what Mokuba was doing right now, and how things would be handled at the company without him. _Mokuba will be in charge while I'm out,_ he thought. _I'm sure he can handle things on his own. He's mature enough and knows a lot about running a business. I just hope he isn't distracted._

He turned his attention to the others, who were coming up to an apartment building. When they reached a door that Kaiba assumed to be Katsuya's, Joey turned to Yugi and Shizuka.

"Thanks for helping me out, guys," he said. "I'll come pick up my lost groceries at your place tomorrow, okay, Yuge?"

"Sure," Yugi nodded.

"Do you want me to come in?" asked Shizuka.

"Nah, I'm fine!" Joey said quickly. Kaiba noted a hint of nervousness in his voice. "I'm just gonna lay down for awhile, have some lunch. You go on back to Anzu's, Shizuka."

Shizuka looked at him firmly. "If you need anything, _anything at all,_ you let me know, okay big brother?"

"You'll be the first I call," he promised.

"See you later, Jounouchi-kun," Yugi waved and he and Shizuka left. Joey watched them leave then took out his keys to unlock the door. Kaiba just barely made it through the door before Joey closed it behind him.

The apartment was a mess. There were clothes and leftover food all over the floor, tables, and television set. The table was covered in empty and half-empty beer bottles, but Kaiba had a suspicion that they didn't belong to Joey. _I suppose it would explain his dimwitted nature, though,_ he thought, though un-laughing.

Joey began to pick up the bottles. "What a slob," he said to himself, throwing them into the overflowing trashcan with disgust. He cleaned up the kitchen area until it was decent enough, though still slightly dirty, and opened the fridge to eat lunch. It was practically empty, filled with empty containers and rotting leftovers. Joey closed it with disappointment and searched the cupboards. He managed to find some peanut butter and a slice of bread so he made a small sandwich by spreading the peanut butter on it and folding the bread in half.

Kaiba looked away with a face mixed with pity and disgust. Who knows how long that food's been there? At the mansion, Kaiba would be having a fancy four course meal...

Looking around, Kaiba realized exactly how different he and Jounouchi were. He knew there was always a vast difference between them, but now, seeing how he lived at home, he understood why Joey kept such an optimistic attitude at school. He obviously didn't want anyone to know how much he struggled.

_If this were my apartment,_ Kaiba thought, _I wouldn't be caught dead with a mess like this. I'd hire a maid or something._ He wasn't taking into consideration the fact that he'd be poor if he were in Joey's position, but he didn't care. It wasn't his life.

Joey finished his sad meal and went to clear off the couch. Then he carefully laid down on it and closed his eyes for a nap. Kaiba stared at him for awhile. He didn't have anything to do, since he was just a ghost. He could have been doing some important work today, but instead he was stuck here.

_Perhaps this will be more boring than I thought..._

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A/N: I don't know if the whole saving-Joey's-life thing makes much sense, but I guess it works, in a way. If you consider it doing a good deed for someone else, then I suppose that would make more sense. So anyway, please review!_  
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	4. Fight the Fight Alone

Sorry, I'm a bit behind on updating. I didn't get the chance to get near the computer all weekend. But here is the next chapter. I'm glad so many people like my story! Thanks to all who have reviewed and are going to! Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Four: Fight the Fight Alone

Kaiba decided to inspect Joey's apartment further while he was asleep. Careful to dodge the messes on the floor (though he had no need to), he entered the hallway. It was dirty and bare, not a single picture on the walls. He peered into a dark room, but could tell it wasn't Joey's. _It must belong to his parents,_ Kaiba thought. _Boy, are they messy people. How can they live like this?_

He saw another room with a closed door. Poking his head through it, he scanned the room. It was a little unorganized, but nowhere near as messy as the rest of the apartment. _This must be Katsuya's room. At least he has **some** sense of cleanliness._

Kaiba went inside and looked around. There wasn't much in there except for a desk, a dresser, and a bed. Jounouchi's school bag and books were on the desk under the dusty window. His duel deck was in the middle of it. The bed was unmade and covered in unfolded clothes.

"Well, I'm not really impressed," said Kaiba aloud. Just then, something caught his eye. It was a small shoe box lying open on the chair next to the desk. He went over to it and picked it up (how it was possible, he didn't know). Inside were letters and photos. Kaiba sat on the bed and looked through them.

The photos on the top were recent pictures of Joey and his friends. There was one with Joey and Honda having a burger eating contest (Honda was losing, judging by the enormous amount of food Joey was stuffing in his mouth), another of all of them giving the peace sign, and one of Joey and Yugi together giving the thumbs up. Then there was one of Yugi—no, the other Yugi, striking a pose.

_I know I shouldn't be looking at all these, but..._ Kaiba glanced at the door as if expecting Jounouchi to walk in and catch him red handed at any moment. _He'll never know._

Most of the letters were from Joey's sister, Shizuka. Kaiba had little interest in those; he didn't really care about their sibling bond. But then—what's this? At the bottom of the box was a tattered black notebook labeled "PRIVATE."

Private, eh? Well, of course Kaiba had to read it. It would be a crime not to. So, careful not to rip out any of the crumbling pages, Kaiba opened up the notebook to the first page and started to read.

_Hello there, my name is Jounouchi Katsuya. This is the first JOURNAL I've ever had, because I always thought it was stupid to keep one. But Yugi said it would help clear my thoughts, and I guess I could use some of that._

_Boring,_ thought Kaiba. He turned the pages, hoping to find something worth reading. He noticed a page decorated with hearts and stopped to read it.

_Mai Kujaku is one of the most self-centered duelists I've EVER MET! Or at least she was. Before the Duelist Kingdom, she cared only for herself. But now that she's our friend, I know she's gained a better view of life. PLUS I KNOW SHE LIKES ME! She's always trying to act like she thinks I'm an idiot, but I see the way she looks at me when she thinks I'm not looking! Older women have a thing for guys like me!_

Kaiba let out a snort of laughter. Katsuya must be delusional if he thinks anyone would go for an idiot like him. Clearly, it was _he_ who had a thing for _Mai._ _Now I know his love interest,_ Kaiba smiled to himself maliciously. Perfect blackmail. He continued to the next page. The smile quickly disappeared from his face as he noticed his own name printed throughout it in large, sloppy capitals.

_Kaiba's such a jerk. "Look at me, I'm a pretty rich boy who cares only for myself!" Man, he makes me mad! Sometimes I just wanna punch his face, but I don't wanna get sued for ruining that precious face of his._

"Precious face?" Kaiba flipped through the notebook and found more of Joey's opinions about him.

_That bastard Kaiba was gonna let me die at Battle City! I coulda been dead after Marik almost burned me to death but he didn't even call for help! For me **or** Bakura **or** Mai! All he cares about are **his** problems and getting those stupid God cards!_

Kaiba glanced at a crude drawing at the bottom featuring him holding the Egyptian God cards and saying to Yugi and Joey "I don't care about you bastards! Go to Hell! I'm the greatest!"

Kaiba felt a knot in his stomach. He would never act like that! Was this really how Yugi and the others perceived him?

He turned to another page, afraid of what else Joey had to say about him. What he read next made him do a double take and re-read it.

_Kaiba's so bitter to everyone. And today we found out that it's because of his past. His step-father was a real ass (and not to mention Noa, his step-brother. He was a real brat!). I guess that's why Kaiba's always so cold. But that's still no good reason to treat us all like shit. I mean, my father's just as bad but I manage a smile on my face everyday. You just need to forget about it, and move on. Although I'm still stuck between the cracks, I just pretend it's all okay. I pretend no one has to worry about me. No one worries about Kaiba, because he doesn't worry about others. I guess that's the major difference between us._

Kaiba closed the notebook. The difference? What difference? He re-read that sentence again. What exactly did he mean? The only difference between them was that he was richer and better off than him. And the fact that he was dead. But that didn't really count.

He placed the notebook back in its spot at the bottom of the shoe box and put the box back on the chair. Kaiba went back to the living room where Joey was still sleeping. Now he was bored with nothing to do. _How can I carry out my task when all this idiot does is sleep?_ Kaiba asked himself. _What can I do? Save him from bed bugs?_

Kaiba fell into a chair and stared at the window. _This is going to be so boring..._ But within minutes, all thoughts of the notebook forgotten for the moment, he was also asleep.

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When Joey finally woke up and went to Yugi's to get his groceries, of course Kaiba followed him.

"I feel like a body guard..." Kaiba yawned. He was feeling unnaturally tired. He didn't think ghosts could get tired, but he supposed he was wrong.

They came to the Kame Game Shop where Yugi's grandfather was sweeping in the front. He spotted Joey approaching and waved to him. "Why, hello there, Joey! Feeling better?"

"Yeah, lots!" Joey smiled.

"Who's your friend there?" Grandpa suddenly asked.

Kaiba's heart leapt. Could the old man actually see him? Was he aware that Joey was being followed by a ghost? He knew old people were wise, but he never knew they could sense ghosts!

"Eh?" Joey turned around and looked straight into Kaiba's eyes. But then he turned them down and let out a shout of surprise. "Hey, little guy! Are you lost?"

Kaiba looked down also and saw a small, scraggily brown puppy with big blue eyes tugging on Joey's pant leg. Joey picked him up and scratched his stomach.

_Well, mutts will follow their own kind, I suppose,_ said Kaiba.

"I think he likes you!" Grandpa chuckled.

"Yeah, I think I like him too!" Joey laughed as the pup licked his face affectionately. "He doesn't have a collar. Poor guy, he must be all alone. And hungry, too. Hang on…" Joey dug inside his pocket and pulled out a strip of beef jerky. He tore off a piece and fed it to the dog. It gobbled it up and thanked him by begging for more.

"Aww! You're a cute little thing, aren't ya!" Joey fed him the remainder of the jerky.

"Why don't you keep him?" suggested Grandpa.

"Huh? Oh, no. No, I can't. I don't think my apartment allows pets. And even if it did, it'd just be more work for me! I mean, I can barely take care of myself, ya know?" He laughed, like it was all a joke. But Kaiba knew otherwise.

"Well, Yugi's inside if you want to talk to him. I hope you can get back on your feet again soon, Joseph!"

"I already am, Gramps! I already am!" shouted Joey triumphantly, pounding his fist against his chest. Kaiba saw him grimace at the pain; his ribs were still healing.

"Yugi! How's it going?" asked Joey, entering the game shop.

"Hey, Joey! Feeling better today?" asked Yugi from behind the counter.

"Much better, thanks!"

"I have your things. Come on, I'll go get them." Yugi led the way through a door behind the counter that led to his house. Kaiba looked around. It was certainly a heck of a lot cleaner than Joey's apartment.

"Here you go!" Yugi took a plastic bag out of the refrigerator and handed it to Joey.

"Thanks, Yuge."

"Joey, do you want to have dinner with us tonight?" Yugi asked.

"You know I'd love to, but I can't. I think I have some homework I need to finish before school tomorrow, so..."

"Maybe I can help you," Yugi persisted.

"Nah, it's alright. Look, I'm fine! No accident is gonna change the way things are with me, I promise! Just you wait and see. I'm still the same Joey I was before."

"Yeah, you're right." Yugi looked down and smiled. Then he looked back up at Joey. "But if you ever need anything, just let me know!"

"No prob!" Joey gave him the thumbs up.

When Joey came out the front door, the little puppy jumped up at his legs, barking excitedly.

"Whoa! You're still here?" Joey bent down to pet the pup.

"He was waiting by the door for you," said Grandpa. "It seems he wants to go home with you. That's what happens when you feed a stray."

"Aw, I can't take him home," Joey looked at the puppy and scratched it behind the ears. It responded by sticking out its tongue and panting, then rolling over on its back so Joey could scratch its stomach. Joey smiled. "I know how you must feel, little guy, being all alone..." he said quietly to himself.

"Hm? What was that?" Grandpa asked.

"Uh, nothing!" Joey stood up with the puppy in his arms. "Hey, Gramps, is it alright if I leave him here with you guys?"

"What?"

"I wanna keep him, but I can't take him home. Can he stay at your place? I'll feed him and walk him and give him baths and visit everyday! I'll take care of him, but I wanna know if he can stay here during the school day. Please, Grandpa? _Please_?" He made the cutest face he could muster, complete with wide watery eyes and sparkles floating around his head. The puppy cocked its head to the side and looked at Grandpa sadly also.

"Well..." Grandpa scratched his head. "I guess if it's alright with Yugi—"

"YES! Thank you Grandpa! You rock!" He gave the old man a hug and ran inside the shop with the puppy. Kaiba rolled his eyes but peeked inside anyway.

"So your Grandpa said he could stay as long as it was okay with you!" Joey explained as he and Yugi watched the puppy sniff around the counter. "Please say yes! I really want to keep him!"

"I suppose I'll have to take care of him when you're not here," said Yugi as the puppy knocked over a box of trading card booster packs. "What's his name?"

"Eh? Well, I don't know yet," Joey scratched his head. "I suppose I'll think of something by tomorrow. But I gotta go and finish my homework before school tomorrow. I'm already a day behind!"

"Okay, see you tomorrow Jounouchi-kun!"

"Thanks again, Yuge! I owe you one!"

And with that, Joey headed home, thinking about the little brown puppy that was now his. Kaiba never saw him this happy before, besides the time Yugi beat Marik in the Battle City finals. How could something like this be such a big deal? It was just a puppy. For all Katsuya knew, it could have rabies or some other disease. Kaiba didn't get it. And to be honest, he really didn't care.

A/N: Please review! -


	5. You and Me

Sorry it's been awhile...but I'm having a little trouble with this story. I had the whole thing planned out, but then I re-read what I wrote and realized how corny the ending sounded, so I'm trying to re-write it without putting in the same silly plotline that runs in the show. I had a duel planned for a couple chapters, but that sounded so overused. Then again, isn't that what Yu-Gi-Oh is about? So if you think a bad guy and a duel sound like a good addition or just out of place, let me know!

Oh, and I stopped using "Joey" as his name. I only used it before cuz it was easy to write, but it confused some people so now its "Jounouchi" or "Jou."

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Chapter Five: You and Me

Well, as it turned out, Jounouchi didn't finish the homework he was talking about. Instead, he spent most of his day cleaning his apartment. He took out loads of trash and scrubbed every counter and table until the rag turned black. He even had to change the mop water three times.

By the end of his labor, Jounouchi was tired out. Kaiba noticed him wheezing painfully at the strain it put on his muscles. After eating a sandwich and half a bag of chips with a drink of water for dinner, he showered and got himself ready for bed. Then he took out his black notebook and wrote another entry. At around eleven o'clock, he went to bed.

Kaiba knew he shouldn't be prying into Jounouchi's personal stuff. But he was bored, and, although he didn't quite know the reason why, he really wanted to know what was going on inside Jounouchi's head.

So he took it out and read it.

_What a bummer,_ thought Kaiba as he read the page. _It's only about that dumb dog._ He read it anyway.

_I found a cute little pup today! Actually, he found me! He followed me to Yugi's house. I think he was lonely or something, and had nowhere to go. I bet he recognized that feeling in me. I know how he must feel. Dogs can sense those kinds of things, you know. I still don't have a name for him. He kinda reminds me of Kaiba, with his big blue eyes and brown fur._

_You know what? Maybe I'll go visit Kaiba tomorrow._

Kaiba glanced over at the sleeping Jounouchi. Why would he go visit him? This compassion, or whatever it was, was insulting. Jounouchi had shown all signs of loathing Kaiba whenever they were in the same room, but now, it was like a posthumous death. Nobody seemed to care about Kaiba until something happened to him. What kind of compassion was that?

"And I _do not_ look like that mutt!" said Kaiba angrily, kicking the shoe box back into its place under the bed.

The next day, Kaiba unwillingly followed Jounouchi to school. He was getting quite bored of following this guy. Nothing seemed to happen around him. Usually there was some deranged madman bent on ruling the world after Yugi and his friends. But unfortunately, Kaiba had to go on this mission during a time of peace. Oh, what luck.

Jounouchi met up with Yugi and the others in the classroom.

"Jounouchi-kun! Hey there!" waved Yugi cheerfully.

"Hi guys!" Joey went over to join them.

"How are you feeling?" asked Anzu.

"Much better than at the hospital!" Jounouchi laughed.

"Does it still hurt?" asked Ryou.

"Nah, not at all. In fact, I think I must be healed!"

"You can't heal that fast, man," said Honda.

"Unless you had superpowers or something," said Otogi half-joking. "But then again, with all the weird stuff we've all been through, it wouldn't surprise me."

"Look, let's put that aside for now," said Jou, digging in his bag. "There are more important things to discuss. For example—" he pulled out a sheet of paper. "Can I copy someone's homework?"

"Joey!" everyone exclaimed in unison. They all broke into a laugh.

"Come on, guys, I'm serious..."

Kaiba watched them from the other side of the room. He didn't understand them. He just couldn't seem to process what they all found so amusing. What was there to be cheerful about when they knew that Jounouchi was hurting? Was he hiding it so well, or did they just refuse to see it?

A nearby group of students were having a conversation that caught Kaiba's attention when they mentioned his name.

"Did you hear what happened to Seto Kaiba?"

"Yeah, he got hit by a truck, didn't he?"

"Someone told me he died."

"No way, that's not true. He's in a coma at Domino Hospital."

"Well, it would have been better if he had just died. Maybe Kaiba Corp. would finally get some decent management."

A dark shadow spread across Kaiba's face. So this was what the people thought of him. Despite all the great things he had contributed to technology, despite all the tournaments, all the fame—to them, he was nothing but a tyrant.

He clenched his fists tightly and grinded his teeth together. It would have been better if he had just died...would it?

Suddenly, Kaiba made a sharp turn toward the door and stormed out, not wanting to hear anymore. He had to go to his company, he had to see his office, his computer—all the things that made him happy.

And Mokuba.

_Katsuya will be fine at school,_ he thought. _I just need to see Mokuba again. I miss him so much..._

He walked to Kaiba Corp. with his head down in silence. He hardly paid attention to where he was going; he knew the path well. When he reached the tall, ominous building, he looked up at it with a sudden feeling of dread. What if everything was in turmoil? What if everything had gone wrong in his absence? The long shadow of the building loomed over Kaiba as if to say "inside these walls, you will find nothing but trouble."

Kaiba took a deep breath and entered.

Everything looked normal enough. People were working, just as usual. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary from a normal day. But he couldn't be sure, not until he at least went to his office where Mokuba was hopefully working in his place.

Forgetting that he was a ghost, Kaiba pushed the button on the elevator and waited for it to come. The doors opened and a group of people came out. More people entered as Kaiba stepped in. He was reminded of his condition when one lady backed into him and her arm went right through him.

After stopping at a few floors, Kaiba was the only one in the elevator when it reached the top floor. The doors opened and Kaiba stepped out, looking around. The secretary in front of his office, who was chatting with one of the other workers, stopped and looked at the empty elevator with wide eyes. The worker followed her gaze and then said, "We gotta tell Steve to fix that thing..."

Kaiba walked past them, still feeling weird about them not being able to see him. He went through the door to his office and looked around. Everything was the same since the day he left it. There was his computer, set on top of his sleek polished desk by the large glass window overlooking the city. There was the couch facing the new plasma screen TV he had recently installed for Mokuba's viewing pleasure. And the filing cabinets, organized so precisely that not a single paper was out of place.

Yes, this was Kaiba's home away from home.

As he was gazing about his sanctuary, the door opened behind him. He turned, and there was Mokuba, a serious look on his face. He went over to the desk and turned on the computer, then began to take out papers from a briefcase—Kaiba's briefcase.

"He looks so grown up..." Kaiba said out loud, then, feeling foolish, felt his face turn red.

"Master Mokuba! Master Mokuba, sir!" Roland, Kaiba's most trusted employee, came running in, but stopped at the doorway, nearly tripping himself.

"I'm busy Roland, so this better be worth my time," said Mokuba. (Sounds familiar...)

"Yes, sir, I thought you might like to know," Roland straightened himself up, but then bent down to pick something up. "This is from the entire staff of Kaiba Corp., for your brother."

"For Seto?" Mokuba looked up.

"The entire staff?" Kaiba asked, although no one could hear him.

"It's this." Roland held up a huge bouquet of red roses wrapped in green tissue paper and tied with a yellow ribbon.

Mokuba's mouth was wide with surprise. "They're beautiful, Roland!"

"Everyone signed this card and each bought a rose to put together. This one here is mine... We wanted _you_ to bring them to him at the hospital."

He held them out to Mokuba, but Mokuba just looked at them.

"You all did this for Seto...so he could get better..." He looked up at Roland and smiled. "Roland, I want you to give them to him! Will you come with me to see him after work?"

Roland looked surprised, but then suddenly his eyes filled up with tears. "It would be an honor, Master Mokuba!"

Kaiba thought Roland looked a little silly sobbing like that while holding a bouquet of roses, but nonetheless, he felt a little grateful. At least he knew there were some people who cared about him...

Wait...why did he care about that? It's not like he cared about _them_. Perhaps they were being so nice because they knew that without him, the company would go under and they'd all lose their jobs. Well, whatever the case, it was a nice gesture, and, secretly, he liked the roses.

The rest of the day, Kaiba sat in the office and watched his little brother take care of all the important business that needed to be done. He was surprised at how quickly Mokuba picked things up and knew exactly what was going on. Kaiba knew he had nothing to worry about while he was gone, but nonetheless, he hoped that he would get his body back soon and take over again.

It hadn't seemed like a very long visit, but Kaiba realized it was getting late. _I probably need to get back to Katsuya,_ he thought. Too bad, he really wanted to go with Mokuba and Roland to the hospital. _I guess it can't be helped..._

Kaiba exited the building, and with one last backward glance at his company, he began the walk towards the high school. He looked around at the city and wondered if these people, who were going on with their daily lives, felt the same way about him as those students in his class. Well, he decided he didn't care; Kaiba was coming back, whether they liked it or not.

He found Jounouchi playing soccer with Yugi, Honda, Otogi, and Bakura.

"He shoots!" yelled Jou, kicking the ball hard toward the goal. Yugi jumped to stop it, but it sailed right over his spiky head. "HE SCORES!"

"That's not very fair! Yugi's too short to be the goalie!" said Honda.

"Well, it's no fair that you have one extra player!" said Otogi, jerking his thumb at Bakura.

"Maybe you should be goal keeper, Honda," suggested Bakura.

"It doesn't matter! We're down to the last ten seconds! The next goal determines all!" Jounouchi dribbled the ball to the middle of the field and put his foot on it. "Your ball."

Honda kicked the ball to Bakura who, in a moment of confusion, kicked it to Yugi.

"Not this way!" Yugi grabbed the ball and kicked it back to Honda. "Go to their goal!"

"Sorry..."

Honda dribbled the ball towards Otogi. Jounouchi came up behind him and tried to steal it. Honda kicked with all his might and sent the ball flying. Otogi stopped it just before it hit the upper right corner.

"Tough luck!" Otogi drop kicked the ball out into the field. Jounouchi jumped up into the air and did a half-turn, slamming his heel into the ball. It went straight for Yugi's head.

"Look out!" shouted Bakura.

WHAM! Yugi caught the ball against his chest, skidding to a stop just before touching the net. He looked up with a grin. It was the Pharaoh.

He kicked the ball so hard that when his foot hit there was a loud CRACK resounding in the air. It went flying straight into the goal on the other side of the field. Otogi fell flat on the ground to avoid getting hit.

"No fair! No fair! It's four to two!" Jounouchi shouted.

"Technically, there are only three bodies on our team," said Honda with a triumphant grin. "Sorry, Jou. You lost!"

"No fair..."

"It's getting late, guys," said Bakura, shielding his eyes from the glare of the setting sun. "We better go home."

"Yeah, at least _try_ and do your own homework, Jou," said Honda.

"Alright, alright," Jounouchi smirked. "I wanna come see my puppy tomorrow, okay Yugi? I'll see you later, guys."

"Okay. Later, Jounouchi-kun."

Yugi and the others began to walk one way, when Honda suddenly asked Yugi, "Jounouchi has a puppy?"

Kaiba followed Jounouchi home, as usual. The game hadn't really interested him much, and he knew he wasn't going to find anything else less boring to do for the rest of the night. Perhaps he would just go to bed.

But then Jounouchi went somewhere else first. He kept true to his words in his journal and visited Kaiba at the hospital. Kaiba noticed the roses in a glass vase by the bed. He couldn't help but smile when he imagined Mokuba putting them there and Roland sobbing comically in the doorway. It made his heart melt.

"Hey there, Kaiba," said Jounouchi, looking at the lifeless body. It had a breathing mask and tubes attached to it. Kaiba had to look away; he couldn't stand it. "You look terrible, man. But I know you'll be out of here soon, back to your old self. Get well soon, man." He turned to leave and added, "I'm sorry."

Kaiba's eyes followed him out the room then glanced at his body. With one last look at the roses, he left after Jou.

Jounouchi reached for his apartment door and realized that it was unlocked. He knew he had locked it before he left for school. Careful and alert, he opened the door and entered. There was a light on in the kitchen and he could hear someone talking. He peeked around the corner—there was a rough looking man digging through the fridge. He noticed Jounouchi and straightened up. He addressed him with annoyance. "Where the hell have you been?"

Jounouchi glared hard at him. "I should ask you the same thing—dad..."

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A/N: Review and tell me what you think about the duel/no duel thing! And I forgot to warn everyone about Jounouchi's dad...based on the way he was portrayed in the manga, there will be abuse toward poor Jounouchi. I'm sorry, Jou fans! It makes me sad too. :(


	6. Darker Days will always live in me

Hey everyone! Finally, an update! It's hard for me to update quickly because my dad has free reign over the computer and I only manage to use it when he's not home, so I'm sorry for the long waits between chapters! And I've decided that there will not be a final duel, because it wouldn't really fit with the story. But I may have a bad guy in here somewhere...we'll see how it goes. Anywayz, get out your tissue and enjoy!

Oh, yeah! And this chapter's song is "Name" by the Goo Goo Dolls. This song actually makes me think of Kaiba and Jounouchi everytime I hear it. If you haven't heard it before, go listen to it! It's a good song!

Chapter Six: Darker days will always live in me

"Where have you been?" asked the man in annoyance.

Jounouchi glared hard at him. "I should ask you the same thing—dad..."

Kaiba was surprised. This man, who looked like he hadn't showered or shaved for days, was Jounouchi's father. _All those beer bottles I saw when I first came here,_ thought Kaiba. _They must have belonged to him. He **looks** like a drunk._

"Don't talk to me like that, you brat," said his father. "You've been gone since Friday."

"I was in the hospital," said Jounouchi. "What about you? You weren't here when I came back."

"What were you doing in a hospital?" He sounded angry.

Jounouchi's face remained serious. "I was in an accident. Nothing serious. But the other guy with me—"

"How the hell do you expect me to pay for your medical bill? I'm not made of money, you know!"

"My friend's grandfather offered to pay for it, and I promised to pay him back myself," said Jounouchi with a defensive tone.

"Your friend paid for it?" the man scratched his chin and let out a hoarse laugh. "What an idiot! You're not even worth it..."

Kaiba looked at Jounouchi, who was still staring intently at his father. But he thought he noticed Jounouchi's eyebrow twitch when he called Yugi's grandfather an idiot.

"Since your friend is being so generous," the man began, and Kaiba knew he was thinking of something sinister, "I wonder if you can ask him for a little more dough..."

"I can't ask Yugi to do that!" Jounouchi shouted, unable to hold in his anger. "He's my friend!"

"Don't get jumpy, you'll pay him back," his father crossed his arms.

"No way! The hospital bill was too much already, I can't ask for anything more!"

"Listen to me, you ungrateful little shit!" he yelled, pointing his finger threateningly at Jounouchi. "You better take advantage of this opportunity, or I'll make you regret it!"

"You're out of your mind," Jounouchi waved the finger away. "Find some other way to get rich quick, like you always do."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" He grabbed Jounouchi by the collar of his jacket and rammed him into the wall face first. "Don't think you can talk to me like that for one second! I am your father! You listen to me, dammit!"

"Let me go, bastard!" Jounouchi tried to get free. His father grabbed him by the hair and threw him to the floor then proceeded to beat him with his fists. "Stop it! STOP!" Jounouchi shouted.

Kaiba stood frozen in shock and horror. This was not at all what he had expected to see when he took this task. He never thought that something like this could possibly happen to Jounouchi. Feeling helpless and sick to the stomach, he was suddenly reminded of his days with his stepfather and the terrible abuse he was put through. But this scene before him was worse than all that. Much worse.

Finally, his father picked up the bloody and beaten Jounouchi and dragged him to his room. He threw him on the floor and said, "Now you think about what you did and you better listen to me next time!" Then he slammed the door.

Kaiba watched Jounouchi's father storm down the hall then came slowly through the door and looked at Joey on the floor. Jounouchi was still, but suddenly he wheezed and coughed, spitting up blood on the floor. He tried to sit up with difficulty and finally managed to lean against his bed. He breathed in and out slowly. Kaiba knew he was in an unbelievable amount of pain.

He noticed Jounouchi clutching his chest tightly with one hand and holding his head with the other. _His ribs might have been damaged again,_ he thought. _And his head is bleeding pretty badly..._

Suddenly, he was overcome with a revelation. "Could this be...the way I'm supposed to _save_ him?"

---------------------------------------------

The next morning, Jounouchi cleaned himself up and got ready for school as if nothing had happened. He picked up his bag and headed for the door but stopped when he noticed his dad asleep sitting up on the couch with the TV still on and a beer bottle in his hand. Jounouchi went into the kitchen and opened the top cabinet above the fridge. He reached in, pulled out a wad of money, stuffed it in his pocket, and left.

Although he was beat pretty bad, the only visible mark on Jounouchi's face was a right black eye. He told his friends that he was jumped by a gang from another high school on his way home last night. They believed him and warned him not to get involved with people like that.

Kaiba couldn't help but think of what fools they all were. Couldn't they see through his lies? Couldn't they tell he was hurt? Every time Jounouchi bent over, a look of pain flashed over his face. Couldn't they see that?

_And just how the hell am** I** supposed to help him?_ Kaiba wondered. _He can't see me, hear me, or feel my presence. What am I supposed to do?_

Kaiba went on top of the school building at lunch to think things through. He had to find some way to warn Yugi, at least, but how? He didn't understand how he could hold material objects like notebooks or sit in chairs but couldn't touch anyone. It was all nonsense. These rules about being dead were pointless.

"I can't handle this anymore!" he screamed into the air. "I'd much rather die!"

"Giving up already, Seto?"

Kaiba wheeled around. "Yume?"

Yume winked at him. "The one and only! Now what's this about you deciding to quit?"

"It's not that I want to quit or anything," began Kaiba, "it's just that...all these rules are so confusing and I really have no idea how to 'save' Katsuya. How can I return the favor if I can't even make contact with him?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you with that, Seto. That's something you must figure out for yourself."

"You said there are other ways," Kaiba remembered. "What other ways are there?"

"I just told you, I can't tell you!" Yume tapped him lightly on the head with her staff. "I only came to see how you were doing. And by the way you're talking, it's obviously not good."

Kaiba looked down at the grounds below where the students were having their lunches. "So how's it going in the Afterlife?"

"Oh, that." Yume made a nervous laugh. "Chaos. Discord. Just as expected."

"I'm sorry..."

"Oh, no! Don't be sorry! It isn't your fault. I just need to get everything in order, that's all. Soon everything will be in order again."

Kaiba looked at her. He felt stupid for asking, but he had an impulse to do so: "There won't be any zombies roaming around, will there?"

Yume looked surprised. Then she started to laugh. "Ah ha! No, no, of course not! Oh, Seto, you're so funny!"

Kaiba didn't tell her he was serious.

"No, the dead souls are just lost and wandering around the Afterlife. They can't get out unless the Lord of the Dead let's them. When your soul didn't make it, the spirits got loose through the empty slot where you should have been. It's alright, though. We'll manage."

"Good." Kaiba looked back at the students. He spotted Jounouchi and his friends eating their lunch under a tree. After a moment's pause he said, "I never knew Jounouchi's father was like that."

"It's sad, isn't it?" Yume's voice became sympathetic. "After so many years of pain, it's a wonder he's still alive at all. But you know what? No matter how bad things got, Jounouchi still managed to keep a smile on his face. He never let the truth stop him from being who he really is. He didn't become cold and distant, afraid to let others in. He just kept being himself. I think that's the most important thing of all."

Kaiba didn't say anything. He just looked out at the grounds, not really seeing it. He remembered what Jounouchi had said in his diary: _...my father's just as bad, but I manage a smile on my face everyday. You just need to forget, move on...I guess that's the major difference between us._

"The difference..." Kaiba muttered to himself. He turned to ask Yume something, but she was gone.

--------------------------------------------------------

Jounouchi went to see his puppy after school, like he promised. The puppy was so happy to see him that it jumped up and licked every inch of his face. Jounouchi fell over and laughed.

"I don't mind keeping him for you, Jounouchi, but it would be nice if _you'd_ train him. He isn't housebroken," said Yugi.

"We found that out the hard way," added Grandpa.

Kaiba looked on at this happy scene, a mix of anger, confusion, and sadness burdening him. He was angry they couldn't see Jounouchi's suffering, confused with how he was supposed to help him, and sad because...he didn't want to admit it, so he didn't think about it. But nonetheless, the sadness was there.

Kaiba felt miserable, especially when it was time for Joey to go home. When Yugi offered Jounouchi to stay for dinner, he declined. But Kaiba saw the look of longing in Jounouchi's eyes; he really wished he could have stayed. And he could have, if it weren't for that man waiting for him at his apartment...

Sure enough, Jounouchi wasn't welcomed home warmly when he came back. The first thing his father asked was, "Did you get the money?"

"He, uh—wasn't at school today," Jounouchi lied.

"Then why didn't you go to his house?"

"I think they're out of town...you know, business trip. Something like that."

"Hmph. Well, you better make sure you get a hold of them somehow. I need that money by Friday."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." Jounouchi muttered so he couldn't hear. He went into his room to start on his homework. Kaiba glared at Jounouchi's father and said to him, "You selfish pig. Even _I _wouldn't sink that low." Even though he couldn't hear him, Kaiba felt somewhat satisfied. But the sadness still tugged at his heart.

Kaiba walked through Jounouchi's bedroom door—but Jounouchi wasn't in it. The window was open, the curtains blowing lightly in the breeze. Kaiba went after him.

_And even though the moment passed me by_

_I still can't turn away_

'_Cause all the dreams you never thought you'd lose got tossed along the way_

_And letters that you never meant to send_

_Got lost or blown away_

Kaiba caught up to Jounouchi, who had run all the way to the beach, which wasn't too close to his apartment building. Kaiba was out of breath, but Jounouchi seemed fine, facing the sunset over the ocean and feeling the wet breeze on his face and through his hair. Kaiba had never seen him look so alive.

_And now we've grown up orphans that never knew their names_

_We don't belong to no one, that's a shame_

_You could hide beside me, maybe for awhile_

_And I won't tell no one your name_

Jounouchi held his arms up in the air so that he looked like a jagged cross, welcoming the waves to cover him although the water didn't touch him. He whispered out loud, "Please—somebody...anybody…I need help..."

_Scars are souvenirs you never lose_

_The past is never far_

_Did you lose yourself somewhere out there?_

_Did you get to be a star?_

_And don't it make you sad to know that life_

_Is more than who we are?_

Kaiba was surprised by this sudden cry for help. He looked up at the sky in wonder. Who was he asking for help? he wondered. But then it occurred to him that he knew the only person who could help, the only person who can understand his problem.

It was him.

_You grew up way too fast_

_Now there's nothing to believe_

_Re-runs all become our history_

_A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio_

_And I won't tell no one your name_

Kaiba walked up behind Jounouchi, who was still standing with his arms outstretched and his eyes now closed. Kaiba knew there had to be a way to reach him, some way to let him know he was there. He slowly put one hand on Jounouchi's right shoulder. It didn't go through. Then he slowly moved his hand down his arm to his hand.

_I think about you all the time_

_But I don't feel the same_

_It's lonely where you are, come back down_

_And I won't tell 'em your name…_

Jounouchi opened his eyes. He felt this strange sensation, like there was someone behind him. He felt something go down him right arm slowly and stop at his hand. The same thing happened to his left arm. Now he felt like there was someone standing with him, letting him know that they were there to support him. The feeling sent chills down his spine.

He turned to see if there really was someone there, but he was alone. Although there was no sign of a person, somehow Jounouchi knew there was someone standing with him on the beach that night. He knew someone must be watching over him.

A/N: Yes, I did it. I put poor Jounouchi through all that abuse...I'm sorry, Jou! It hurt me to do it! T.T


End file.
